Ben Carson, MD is a preeminent pediatric neurosurgeon, but seeing his roots, it is hard to fathom how he rose to that achievement. He is a child of a single mother, who herself had only a 3rd grade education. As an African-American child, born in the early 50s, in Detroit, the cards were stacked against him. His early academic achievement was less than stellar and he lived in a neighborhood replete with gang members who sold drugs and wielded brass knuckles and guns. Yet, somehow, Dr. Carson rose above his circumstances and not only survived, but thrived.

One Nation is Ben Carson’s book subtitled “What We Can All Do To Save America’s Future” and in it he describes things that not only could save our nation, but things that saved him from life as a victim of his surroundings.

One of the biggest things that struck me in this book is the emphasis on diffusing conflict and working together. Dr. Carson recounts stories from his own life to illustrate that some conflicts can be prevented by assuming the best about the offending party until proven otherwise. He also describes several ways to determine if people are being disingenuous in feigning offense.

I recommend this book to anyone who feels that our nation has deviated from the founding principles of our forefathers. I also recommend it to parents of high school students. These young people are our future and they need to read this book. They will be better citizens and better individuals if they implement the values presented.

I greatly admire Dr. Carson for his diplomatic, yet principled, approach to life. He is a true leader and a man of great integrity and we all would do well to heed his advice. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to have actionable steps that might bring our country out of its current downward spiral. It isn’t too late, but we must act and act decisively. Now is the time.